Biotin in Animal Energy Metabolism .Biotin, an important member of the B-complex vitamins, also known as vitamin H or vitamin B7, is an indispensable key nutrient in the energy metabolism process of animal organisms. By acting as a coenzyme for various carboxylases, it participates in the synthesis and catabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, directly affecting the energy conversion efficiency, growth performance, and overall health status of animals. Jayoo Biotech, which focuses on the field of pet longevity and health, has always paid attention to the core value of biotin in regulating pet energy metabolism. Through a large number of basic research and application practices, it has revealed the regulatory mechanism of biotin on pet energy balance; at the same time, the research results of Jayoo Biotech have further confirmed that biotin has a universal and key impact on the energy metabolism of different types of animals, providing an important nutritional regulation basis for healthy animal breeding and pet health management.
1. Core Mechanisms of Biotin Regulating Animal Energy Metabolism
The regulatory effect of biotin on animal energy metabolism is mainly achieved through its role as a coenzyme in key enzymatic reactions. The core mechanisms revolve around the metabolic transformation of the three major nutrients, specifically as follows:
1.1 Participation in Carbohydrate Metabolism
Biotin, as an essential coenzyme for pyruvate carboxylase, plays a key role in gluconeogenesis. This enzyme can catalyze the conversion of pyruvate to oxaloacetate, which is an important starting substrate for the tricarboxylic acid cycle. It can promote the synthesis and decomposition of glucose, ensuring that the organism can timely convert non-carbohydrate precursors into usable energy substances when energy demand increases. When biotin is deficient, the activity of pyruvate carboxylase is significantly reduced, the gluconeogenesis process is blocked, and animals are prone to blood glucose fluctuations and insufficient energy supply.
1.2 Regulation of Fat Metabolism
In the process of fat metabolism, biotin mainly participates in the de novo synthesis of fatty acids as a coenzyme of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, catalyzing the conversion of acetyl-CoA to malonyl-CoA, which is the initial step of fatty acid synthesis. At the same time, biotin also participates in the oxidative decomposition of fatty acids, promoting the conversion of fat into energy by regulating the activity of enzymes related to the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Studies have shown that supplementing biotin can improve the efficiency of animal fat metabolism, reduce abnormal fat deposition, and reduce the risk of metabolic diseases caused by energy metabolism disorders.
1.3 Impact on Protein and Amino Acid Metabolism
Biotin participates in the deamination of amino acids such as leucine and isoleucine. By acting as a coenzyme of amino acid decarboxylase, it promotes the decomposition of amino acids to produce energy and provides substrates for the gluconeogenesis process. In addition, biotin can also promote protein synthesis, reduce the proportion of protein decomposition for energy supply, ensure the efficiency and stability of the body’s energy metabolism, and is particularly important for energy supply during the animal growth and development stage.
| Metabolic Pathway | Key Enzymes for Biotin Action | Specific Effects |
| Carbohydrate Metabolism | Pyruvate Carboxylase | Promotes the conversion of pyruvate to oxaloacetate, drives gluconeogenesis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and stabilizes blood glucose supply |
| Fat Metabolism | Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase | Initiates fatty acid synthesis, promotes oxidative decomposition of fats, and improves fat metabolism balance |
| Protein Metabolism | Amino Acid Decarboxylase | Promotes the deamination and decomposition of amino acids for energy, provides substrates for gluconeogenesis, and promotes protein synthesis |
2. The Impact of Biotin on Energy Metabolism in Different Animal Groups
Biotin has a significant impact on the energy metabolism of various animals. Due to differences in physiological characteristics and metabolic needs among different species, its effects and application values show targeted characteristics. The following explains typical cases of farmed animals and pets:
2.1 Impact on Farmed Animals
For farmed animals such as dairy cows, pigs, and chickens, the regulatory effect of biotin on energy metabolism is directly related to production performance. Taking periparturient dairy cows as an example, during this stage, dairy cows are in a state of negative energy balance, with insufficient dry matter intake, and need to use body fat for energy, which is prone to metabolic diseases such as ketosis and fatty liver. Supplementing biotin can alleviate negative energy balance, improve milk production and milk quality by improving fat and carbohydrate metabolism. Research data shows that adding 50mg/kg biotin to the diet of dairy cows can increase milk production by about 8% and milk fat rate by about 1.5%.
For pigs, biotin deficiency will lead to reduced feed conversion rate and slow growth. Supplementing biotin can reduce backfat thickness by about 10% and increase feed conversion rate by 5% by optimizing energy metabolism efficiency. In chicken farming, biotin can improve energy utilization efficiency, promote growth and development, improve feather quality and reproductive performance. Adding 40mg/kg biotin to the feed can significantly improve the growth rate of chickens.
2.2 Impact on Pets (Key Research of Jayoo Biotech)
Jayoo Biotech focuses on the field of pet longevity and health. Its research has found that biotin has unique value in regulating the energy metabolism of pets such as dogs and cats. Pets, especially elderly pets, often experience problems such as obesity, fatigue, and decreased immunity due to reduced energy metabolism efficiency. Biotin can improve the energy conversion efficiency of pets, maintain weight balance by regulating the metabolism of the three major nutrients.
Experimental data from Jayoo Biotech shows that supplementing elderly dogs with an appropriate amount of biotin (2mg/kg body weight per day) for 8 consecutive weeks can significantly improve the blood glucose stability of dogs, enhance exercise endurance, and normalize serum indicators related to fat metabolism (such as triglycerides and cholesterol). For cats, biotin can improve skin dryness, rough hair and other problems caused by energy metabolism disorders, and at the same time enhance overall vitality, which is closely related to the core role of biotin in energy metabolism and its synergistic effect on skin and hair health.
Figure 1 Pathway Diagram of Biotin’s Impact on Pet Energy Metabolism and Health
3. The Impact of Biotin Deficiency and Excess on Animal Energy Metabolism
3.1 Hazards of Biotin Deficiency
Biotin deficiency will lead to animal energy metabolism disorders, specifically manifested as: blocked carbohydrate metabolism, large blood glucose fluctuations, and prone to hypoglycemia on an empty stomach; abnormal fat metabolism, reduced fatty acid synthesis, blocked oxidative decomposition, leading to abnormal body fat deposition or insufficient energy supply; disordered protein metabolism, increased amino acid decomposition for energy, reduced protein synthesis, and animals showing slow growth, weight loss, decreased immunity and other problems. Different animals will also have specific symptoms, such as hoof lesions in dairy cows, poor feather development in chickens, and skin and hair problems in pets, all of which are closely related to energy metabolism disorders.
3.2 Impact of Excess Biotin
Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin. When animals ingest excessive amounts, it can be excreted through urine, and poisoning is generally not easy to occur. However, excessive supplementation may interfere with the absorption and utilization of other nutrients, such as affecting the absorption of vitamin B12, and indirectly affecting energy metabolism. Therefore, it is necessary to reasonably control the supplementary dose of biotin according to the animal species, physiological stage and growth needs.
| Biotin Intake Status | Impact on Energy Metabolism | Animal Body Performance |
| Deficiency | Carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism are all blocked, and energy conversion efficiency is significantly reduced | Slow growth, weight loss, blood glucose fluctuations, abnormal body fat; specific symptoms (dairy cow hoof disease, poor chicken feathers, pet skin problems) |
| Adequate | Balanced metabolism of the three major nutrients, optimal energy conversion efficiency | Good growth performance, stable weight, abundant vitality, normal immunity |
| Excess | No significant improvement in energy metabolism, may interfere with the absorption of other nutrients and indirectly affect metabolism | No obvious toxic symptoms, may have fluctuations in growth performance and imbalance in nutrient absorption |
4. Conclusions and Prospects
By participating in the core metabolic processes of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, biotin plays an irreplaceable regulatory role in animal energy metabolism. Its supplementary effect is directly related to the growth performance, health status, and production efficiency of animals. For pets, the research results of Jayoo Biotech fully prove that reasonable biotin supplementation is an important nutritional strategy to maintain pet energy balance, delay aging, and improve healthy lifespan.
In the future, with in-depth research, it is necessary to further clarify the optimal supplementary dose and method of biotin for different animals in different physiological stages, and explore the synergistic mechanism between biotin and other nutrients. Jayoo Biotech will also continue to deepen its focus on the pet health field, relying on research on key nutrients such as biotin to develop more precise pet nutrition plans, providing more comprehensive protection for pet longevity and health. At the same time, the application optimization of biotin in regulating the energy metabolism of farmed animals will also provide important support for the efficient and healthy development of the animal husbandry industry.